The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

Search in Asia, national level, outcome sustained

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

All filters: country, dates, head of government, sort
CountryCambodia, RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180China, RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180Georgia, RSF 2026 rank: 135th of 180Hong Kong, RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180India, RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180IndonesiaIsrael, RSF 2026 rank: 116th of 180JapanMalaysia, RSF 2026 rank: 95th of 180Myanmar, RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180Pakistan, RSF 2026 rank: 153rd of 180Türkiye, RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180Viet Nam
ContinentAsia
TacticLicensing and closure of outlets 9Expulsion and visa denial 5Funding and ownership pressure 4Access bans 3Official labels 3Prior restraint 2Secrets and espionage laws 2Detention and violence 2Credential control 2
StageRestrict 1Pressure 3Punish 7Silence 11Eliminate 1
OutcomeSustained 23
LevelNational 23
Head of governmentAndries Cornelis Dirk de GraeffCarrie LamFumimaro KonoeHun SenIrakli KobakhidzeLi PengMahathir MohamadMehmed VMin Aung HlaingNarendra ModiNguyen Tan DungNguyen Xuan PhucRecep Tayyip ErdoğanShehbaz SharifXi Jinping

23 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
7 January 2026Israel: ban on independent entry of foreign journalists into the Gaza Strip, 2023 to 2026Israel (RSF 2026 rank: 116th of 180)Access bansSustained (25 February 2026)
29 January 2025Pakistan amends cybercrime law to create new agency policing 'fake' online contentPakistan (RSF 2026 rank: 153rd of 180)Official labelsShehbaz SharifSustained
28 May 2024Georgia 'foreign influence' law for media, 2024Georgia (RSF 2026 rank: 135th of 180)Official labelsIrakli KobakhidzeSustained
22 February 2023Türkiye: the broadcast regulator fines and suspends channels for earthquake coverageTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Prior restraintRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSustained (22 February 2023)
13 February 2023Cambodia: Prime Minister Hun Sen orders Voice of Democracy's license revoked over one articleCambodia (RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsHun SenSustained (13 February 2023)
14 December 2021Vietnam: journalist Pham Doan Trang is sentenced to nine years for anti-state "propaganda"Viet Nam (RSF rank: not recorded)Secrets and espionage lawsNguyen Xuan PhucSustained (14 December 2021)
24 June 2021China (Hong Kong): Apple Daily closes after its assets are frozen under the national security lawHong Kong (RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsCarrie LamSustained (24 June 2021)
8 March 2021Myanmar junta revokes five outlets' licenses and raids newsrooms after coupMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMin Aung HlaingSustained
18 March 2020China: press credentials and visas withheld from correspondents at three American newspapersChina (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180)Credential controlXi JinpingSustained (3 March 2021)
17 March 2020China expels American journalists from three major U.S. newspapersChina (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180)Expulsion and visa denialXi JinpingSustained
19 February 2020China: three Wall Street Journal correspondents expelled over an opinion headlineChina (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180)Access bansXi JinpingSustained (19 February 2020)
7 November 2019India: journalist Aatish Taseer's overseas citizenship revokedIndia (RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180)Expulsion and visa denialNarendra ModiSustained (7 November 2019)
17 January 2019Türkiye: Dutch freelance journalist Ans Boersma deportedTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Expulsion and visa denialRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSustained (17 January 2019)
21 March 2018Türkiye: Dogan Holding sells its media outlets to DemirorenTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSustained (21 March 2018)
4 September 2017Cambodia's government forces the closure of The Cambodia Daily with a disputed multimillion-dollar tax billCambodia (RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsHun SenSustained (4 September 2017)
27 July 2016Turkey closes more than 100 media outlets by decree after a failed coup attemptTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSustained (31 December 2016)
4 March 2016Türkiye: court installs trustees at Zaman newspaperTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSustained (4 March 2016)
September 2013Vietnam: Decree 72 restricts blogs to personal informationViet Nam (RSF rank: not recorded)Official labelsNguyen Tan DungSustained (1 September 2013)
14 June 1989China expels foreign journalists and restricts coverage of the Tiananmen Square protestsChina (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180)Expulsion and visa denialLi PengSustained (1 January 1990)
1987Malaysia: Printing Presses and Publications Act amended to bar court review of publishing permits, 1987Malaysia (RSF 2026 rank: 95th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMahathir MohamadSustained
July 1937Japan: government requires clearance to publish war news under the Newspaper Law, 1937Japan (RSF rank: not recorded)Prior restraintFumimaro KonoeSustained
1926Dutch East Indies: Colonial authorities end publication of the communist newspaper Mawa under Penal Code Article 153 bis, 1926Indonesia (RSF rank: not recorded)Licensing and closure of outletsAndries Cornelis Dirk de GraeffSustained (1 January 1926)
9 March 1913Ottoman Empire bars lawmakers and officials from editing newspapers and jails a leading editorTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMehmed VSustained (9 March 1913)
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